Prayers for the husband, please

I get really cross when my hair gets in my eyes. If it touches my eyebrows I get a headache. I’m trying to let it grow out which means I’m really, really cranky a whole lot of the time. So please pray for Sean, that he can take it until I finally decide I can’t take it anymore and chop it all off.

Oh, and he’s donating bone marrow next week, so could you pray for that, too?

He got on the bone marrow registry nine years ago when a guy at work needed a transplant. He wasn’t a match for that man but he stayed on the registry. About a month ago I got a call from a woman saying Sean was a potential match and could he please give her a call back?

I, by the way, did not know he was on the registry.

Long story short (sort of), he’s had several blood draws to determine how much of a match he is; after determining he’s the one he went to the hospital for a head to toe physical. EEG, EKG, chest x-ray, more blood work, full work-up (including a testicular exam which he was not expecting). He was given a clean bill of health and has been medically approved as a donor.

The donation process really kicks in this Saturday when he receives the first of five injections. The medicine stimulates bone marrow growth which is then pushed into the blood stream. I don’t understand how it all works, but this process means Sean will not have to undergo surgery to donate the marrow; it will be done via blood draws.

Please pray his side effects are minimal. The drug can cause bone pain and flu-like symptoms which can vary between slight to severe.

On Wednesday we’ll check into the hospital where he’ll spend two mornings hooked up to an apheresis machine. Blood from one arm will be taken to the machine, the stuff the patient needs will be separated, then the blood will return to Sean’s other arm. (I’m sure there is a much more technical description, but that’s how it makes sense to me.) The process can take between four and six hours each day.

Please pray for the recipient. He’s a 62 year old male. We aren’t allowed to know anything else, so I decided to call him Zeke. I just decided that right now – first it was going to be Ted but I think Zeke has more pizzazz.

Donors and recipients don’t meet until a year after the transplant, and then only if the recipient wants to. We can, though, write Zeke a letter and we’re excited to tell him about Jesus. Maybe this is how ol’ Zeke will meet the Lord – who knows? Heck, he may be a Christian already and Sean’s the answer to his prayers. But we want to make sure Zeke knows Sean can give this gracious gift because he has been shown grace, exceedingly, abundantly.

So, if you’re the praying sort I would certainly love your prayers for Zeke, Sean and our whole family. Thanks.

(And names of good hair stylists would be greatly appreciated!)